Baishti is a village in Chenani, Udhampur district, and a potter's wheel there has been turning for more than 35 years. Mohammad Farooq started at 18. Today he works with his two sons and a helper, shaping thousands of clay diyas for Diwali and nearly 50 types of earthenware in all, according to an ANI report from Udhampur.
What the family says
"I work alongside my two sons and a helper," Farooq said. His son Mohammad Hanif credited the Prime Minister's radio programme Mann Ki Baat with drawing attention to earthen products. Demand for pottery slowed for a time, Farooq said, and revived as the government and the Prime Minister promoted earthen products, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. "We hope the government will continue to pay greater attention to our craft," he said.
How the business works
Customers travel to the village to buy, and the family also offers delivery. The report presents the story as an example of the government's "Vocal for Local" initiative.
The youth angle
Chenani is in Udhampur district, within the Jammu belt. A craft that already supports a household across two generations, and which sells by word of mouth and delivery, is the kind of local livelihood a young person can learn from. The report does not give prices, volumes or income, so we have left those out.
Photo: the main photo shows Farooq and Hanif shaping an earthen lamp at home; credit ANI.
Sources: The Tribune (ANI): A Chenani family crafts thousands of diyas for Diwali, keeps 35-year-old tradition alive, 2 November 2026.
